Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Combat Guide for Beginners

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Welcome to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! If you’re just starting out, combat may seem a bit overwhelming with its complex mechanics like dodging, parrying, and jumping. Don’t worry – we’re here to break it down for you in the simplest way possible, helping you master these combat techniques step by step. Let’s get started!

---

---

1. Dodges, Parries, and Jumps: Your Key Defenses

In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, dodging, parrying, and jumping are crucial to surviving battles. Let’s explain how each of them works:

• Dodging: Dodging is the easiest of the three to master. All you need to do is avoid an incoming attack by moving away at the right time. If you time it perfectly, you’ll trigger a “Perfect Dodge” and earn bonus Action Points (AP) for your next move. Practice dodging first because it has a larger timing window, making it easier to learn compared to parrying or jumping.
  
• Parrying: Parries are a bit more challenging. To perform a successful parry, you need to press the button exactly when an enemy’s attack hits you. It takes some practice to get the timing right. Once you successfully parry an attack, you gain AP and even get a counterattack if you parry an entire combo. Keep in mind that parrying is risky but rewarding – don’t get too focused on it in the early game, and stick with dodging until you can consistently land perfect parries.
  
• Jumping: Jumping is a special dodge that is only available when an icon flashes on the screen before an enemy attack. It’s a little tricky because you’ll only be able to jump in certain situations, like when the yellow symbol appears. If you perform the jump at the right time, you can also land a powerful counterattack while your party is in mid-air.

---

2. Using Guns and Projectiles

Every character can shoot projectiles, which is great for hitting enemies from a distance. But be cautious with how you use your shots!

• Conserve Ammo: Each shot uses up one point of AP, so it’s essential not to waste your shots. It’s better to save your AP for skills and attacks unless you’re facing flying enemies, who tend to dodge melee attacks.
  
• Enemy Shields: Some enemies come with shields that block damage. To break through these shields, you’ll need to shoot the enemy repeatedly or use skills that deal multiple hits. Skills like Lune’s spells or Gustave’s Lumiere assault are great for taking down shields.

---

3. Breaking Enemies’ Defenses

One of the most powerful tools in your arsenal is the Break skill, which is linked to the yellow meter below an enemy’s health bar.

• Break Meter: As you deal damage to enemies, the Break meter fills up. When the meter is full, use a Break skill to unleash a powerful attack and stun the enemy for a full turn. While the enemy is stunned, they cannot act, allowing you to heal or deal more damage. Use this opportunity to strike hard, especially against tougher bosses and enemies.

---

4. Pictos & Lumina: Augmenting Your Abilities

Pictos are magical items that enhance your stats and provide special abilities. You can equip them to gain benefits like increased health, attack power, and more.

• Pictos: Make sure you don’t waste your Pictos slots. For example, if your melee weapon already deals fire damage, there’s no need to equip a gun with the same fire effect unless you’re aiming for a specific build. Experiment with different combinations of Pictos that enhance your stats and grant you additional abilities.
  
• Lumina: As you progress in the game, you’ll collect Lumina points. These can be used to unlock Pictos’ special abilities for your entire party, even if they’re not equipped. You’ll need to manage your Lumina carefully, as it’s essential for unlocking powerful skills across your team.

---

5. Tips for Early Party Members

As you progress through the game, you’ll be joined by several unique characters, each with their own special abilities. Here’s how you can get the most out of your early party members:

• Lune: Lune’s combat revolves around generating and using Stains. Each of her skills creates a Stain of a certain color, and you can use these Stains to amplify the damage of other skills. For example, Ice Lance creates a blue Stain, and you can use that Stain to boost the damage of your next attack. The goal is to chain your skills together in a flow, keeping Stains active and maximizing damage. Additionally, Lune can heal the party, so keep her Stains flowing to keep everyone in top shape.
  
• Maelle: Maelle’s combat is all about Stances. She can switch between Offensive, Defensive, and Virtuous Stances, each with its own benefits. Offensive Stance increases her damage but makes her more vulnerable to taking damage, while Defensive Stance reduces the damage she takes and grants AP for successful parries. The goal is to reach Virtuous Stance, which boosts Maelle’s damage significantly. Use her skills in the right order to switch between stances and deal massive damage.

---

6. General Combat Tips

• Learn Enemy Patterns: Every enemy has a set of attack patterns. As you get more familiar with these, you’ll be able to dodge and parry more effectively. Pay attention to the enemy’s moves and time your actions accordingly.
  
• Use Status Effects: Status effects like burning or freezing enemies can be very useful in combat. Lune’s Ice Lance, for example, not only generates Stains but also has the added benefit of freezing enemies. Make use of these status effects to weaken enemies before launching your attacks.
  
• Manage Your AP: AP is a limited resource, and you need to manage it wisely. Don’t waste your AP on shots unless you really need to, and always make sure you have enough AP left for powerful skills and attacks.

7. Conclusion

Combat in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 requires patience and practice, but once you master dodging, parrying, and using your skills effectively, you’ll be able to tackle even the toughest enemies. Make sure you experiment with different party member combinations, skill setups, and Pictos to find the best strategies for each battle. With time, you’ll become a true master of the game’s combat system and lead your party to victory!

Good luck, and enjoy your expedition!

About The Author